Well if Al Qaeda (or whatever you want to call it) is as weakened as you suggest, then they should be bringing some troops home, and ending these wars.
No this is when you step on its throat and start cutting off heads. I don't know if you've noticed but the methods of these attacks have switched from fairly lavish highly financed and competently planned attacks, to using individual bezerkers using unreliable and cheap methods that have failed more then they've succeeded. Bin Laden had a lot of the financial means and contacts throughout the world and those had started to dry up in recent years due to the pressure put on them and through improved intelligence work among the U.S. and its allies. The American's and its allies all have time lines for withdrawing from Afghanistan and have drawn down in Iraq, the next stages of this operation will be very similar to what we've seen tonight. Lavish funding on intelligence gathering and the use of special action teams.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck
;3101754...of course things just seem to be shifting to Northern Africa..
Expect the Americans to increase pressure on the Northern African Nations to go after these groups.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck
;3101754They are going broke. Osama Bin Laden is dead but this has come at a massive expense for the American people.
Yup, both in terms of human costs and in money. One of the things that America has done fairly well is to limit funding options for Al Qaeda and Bin Laden had pretty well blown through his fortune with the 9/11 operation and I believe that he was having trouble finding other bankers except within Iran.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck
;3101754But aside from that, of course this will score huge political points for Obama.
I still don't think that Obama is a great president, but he made a good, decisive and smart decision and at least for a while America will feel better about itself, its up to Obama to make use of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck
;3101754LOL some are acting like he pulled the trigger....but I hope Americans demand an end to these wars now so they can try and turn the budget around. Obama has a chance to redeem himself here.
The American's are sharply reducing their efforts in Afghanistan and have sharply reduced in Iraq. But they still need to be proactive and go after these scumbags and not give them time to rest and reorganize.
Another rumor is that one of Bin Laden's sons was killed tonight.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Or are you saying that all Muslim's should be viewed as radical?
Quote:
Awlaki was invited as "...part of an informal outreach program" in which officials sought contact "...with leading members of the Muslim community," the official said. At that time, Awlaki was widely viewed as a "moderate" imam at a mosque in Northern Virginia.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
[Updated, 3:12 a.m. ET] A U.S. official said that Osama bin Laden has been buried at sea. The official said his body was handled in the Islamic tradition, but did not elaborate.
Yup, both in terms of human costs and in money. One of the things that America has done fairly well is to limit funding options for Al Qaeda and Bin Laden had pretty well blown through his fortune with the 9/11 operation and I believe that he was having trouble finding other bankers except within Iran.
Human costs, money... and the many, many civil liberties that were stripped away from Americans when The Patriot Act was signed into law.
